Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ 2" focusing on the resurrection of Jesus is a secret too hard to keep, said Oscar-nominated writer Randall Wallace who made an exclusive spill about the "huge and sacred project" to
The Hollywood Reporter.
"The evangelical community considers 'The Passion' the biggest movie ever out of Hollywood, and they kept telling us that they think a sequel will be even bigger." said Wallace.
The 2004 Gibson-directed "Passion of the Christ," starring James Caviezel and Monica Bellucci, made $611.8 million worldwide, according to
Box Office Mojo.
Wallace, who captured an Oscar-nomination for writing Gibson's "Braveheart" and directed and co-wrote the 2014 movie "Heaven Is for Real," said the story of the resurrection is a natural next step.
"I always wanted to tell this story," Wallace told THR. "'The Passion' is the beginning and there's a lot more story to tell."
Wallace said the script was in its early writing stages and there was nothing to report as far as financial or studio backing.
"It's too early to talk money," Wallace told THR. "This is such a huge and sacred subject."
The Guardian's Catherine Shoard said that while the original sparked debate and controversy, it also altered the film industry with its big box office haul.
"The enormous box-office response to the film, which earned more than $600 million worldwide from a $30 million budget, ushered in a new wave of faith films that is still being surfed by many producers conscious of a hitherto untapped audience who attend screenings en masse and repeatedly," Shoard said.
Gibson gave a surprise advanced screening of "Hacksaw Ridge" last month at Liberty University's graduation ceremony and expressed an interest then making a sequel to the 2004 movie, noted THR.
"Hacksaw Ridge," which was directed by Gibson and written by Wallace, stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond T. Doss, a U.S. Army medic who refused to carry a weapon due to his religious beliefs, said
The Verge.
Gibson, who won a best picture and best director Oscar for "Braveheart," kept a low profile in Hollywood after being accused of making anti-Semite and racist remarks in 2006, noted
Biography.com.
In recent years, he has tried to restart his acting career with roles in "Get the Gringo" in 2012, "Machete Kills" in 2013 and "The Expendables 3" in 2014.
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